The Society Reunites
by AleyaContraire
Summary: It's been 4 years since the Society put Mr Curtain into jail. Certain things happened after that including an incident in which the members lost their once strong bond. Now that they encounter another problem, will their friendship be mended or will it remain broken?
1. The Meeting

**Chapter 1 - The Meeting**

***A/N:** **IMPORTANT:**

**Before anyone gets confused and asks me questions, know that the ages of Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are:**

_**Kate: 16 1/2**_

_**Reynie: 16**_

_**Sticky: 16**_

_**Constance: 14**_

**I do not own Trenton Lee Stewart's work**

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Reynard Muldoon grabbed his coat and rushed out of the house the moment he heard the news.

4 years.

It has been 4 years since the Mysterious Benedict Society's last meeting. The Perumals had relocated to another house 3 years ago, just a block away from the Washingtons.

Reynie himself didn't know what happened to their once invincible friendship.

Before _that_ incident – Reynie grimaced at the memory – they were inseparable.

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A wave of nostalgia immediately hit Sticky Washington as he stepped into the house that he once considered as his home. _Still_ considered.

Rhonda literally fell out of her chair as he entered. It has been 4 years since he last placed a foot in this house. He gave a shy smile then proceeded up Constance's room without any difficulty.

He opened the door and was met with the blank faces of his old friends, sitting on the floor, cross-legged. They all stiffened once he entered. Without saying anything, he took off his sweater and sat between Reynie and Constance.

It was Reynie who broke the awkward silence. "Why did you call us here for, Constance?" he asked, somewhat stiffly.

The youngest member of the group sighed. "I don't know where to start…"

"You better begin now and spare wasted time." said Kate

Constance, having reached a mature age, lost most of her snobbish ways and didn't snap back. Instead, she gave Kate one of her infamous glares.

"Why so impatient, Kate? I remember how eager you were before that you even wished for something unpleasant to happen just for a meeting." Reynie said.

Kate's body became rigid. "Circumstances change…" she replied.

"And so do people." Reynie muttered under his breath.

But Kate had been blessed with keen senses and her eyes snapped back to Reynie who was looking at her with the same vehemence.

_Oh no._ Sticky thought.

"That's funny coming from someone who I once thought cared for nothing but the welfare –" Kate hissed.

"When will you realize that I had no choice?" Reynie cried out.

"WE ARE NOT HAVING THIS!" Constance yelled. But it was no use. Reynie and Kate were now on their feet, shouting.

" Don't say that. Don't ever say that! You know as well as I do how much risks I took just for the –"

"You're not the only who took risks –"

"You weren't in my situation! If you only knew how hard it was for me – "

"HARD? You think it was HARD for you – "

By now their faces were only an inch apart, their eyes glowering with rising fury. Vaguely, Kate noticed how much Reynie had grown. His jaw had lost all the boyish roundness it used to have. The freckles that once decorated his face were now gone. But the most noticeable thing about him was his height. He now towered over Kate, but she refused to cower and shrink under his gaze. Instead, she held her head higher.

"JUST SHUT UP!" Sticky shouted so loudly, he was sure the whole village heard it.

Reynie and Kate swiveled around to face him. There was a short moment of silence. That's when Kate said, "That's it. I'm out of here."

"Go then." Reynie snapped.

Before she could make it to the door, a hand gripped her wrist so tight, it hurt. And that was saying something since it took a lot of effort to hurt Kate Wetherall.

"Let me go, Constance!"

"If you haven't spent so much bantering, then you might've known how important our discussion would be!" Constance snapped back at her.

Kate yanked her arm free and went back to her place. With a dark look at Constance, she said, "Start. Now."

Constance took a deep breath. "We have a problem… and a serious one at that."

The heated argument that happened not five minutes ago was momentarily forgotten by Kate and Reynie as this statement settled in their heads.

With a dead serious face, Reynie asked Constance, "What is it about?"

Constance held her breath, as if preparing herself for everyone's reaction. "It's about the Whisperer."

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***A/N: Wahaaha! So what do you think? Speak to me! I have great plans for this story and you can expect the next chapter by Saturday. What do you think is the "incident"? You'll find out soon enough ;)**

**And to those of you who read my 39 clues fanfic entitled the Hidden Identities, I've deleted it. Sorry, but I just don't feel like continuing it anymore….***


	2. Here We Go Again

**Chapter 2 - Here We Go Again**

***A/N: Okay… So this came out two days earlier. I'm pretty disappointed that the first chapter didn't receive any reviews but that didn't dampen my mood! Anyway, I'm updating this story today because I'll be out of the city tomorrow until Sunday. I'll give you a deal. If this story receives 5 reviews, I repeat, 5 REVIEWS, then I'll be uploading on Monday. If you can do better than that then on Sunday night. And if the story receives less than 5 reviews, then I'll see you next week…Now, Proceed….***

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Constance Contraire was not at all surprised at the reactions of her friends. After all, it was what she anticipated. She kept her mouth shut to give them time to absorb this.

Sticky gave a cry of anguish and buried his face in his hands. Kate's jaw dropped to the ground, her eyes fixated on Constance disbelievingly. Reynie was shaking his head muttering the words: "Impossible. It can't be." over and over again.

Without warning, Constance growled ferociously at Kate, making the two boys snap out of their reverie.

"You think I would lie about something in this magnitude?" she hissed.

The boys looked at each other and realized that whatever Kate asked was unspoken.

"But that's just isn't possible!" Kate said in her defense. "I mean, How – I thought – " she shut up after that, words failing her.

"I know exactly how you feel." Sticky muttered.

Reynie sensed that Kate and Sticky were not in the condition to talk, so it was he who asked the question lingering in their heads out loud. "How did you know about this?"

"Mr. Benedict called for Number Two and Rhonda into his study two days ago. And there was an alarming amount of emergency in his tone, one I haven't heard since the Whisperer crisis started. So I did what we did before … I eavesdropped in the place behind his study's wall. And I believe he was too alarmed to even notice that the wall behind him was not hollow anymore."

Kate and Sticky perked up their ears and went to their usual behavior whenever there was a meeting. Calm. Cooperative.

"Did he go into any details?" Kate asked.

"You know that last week, Mr Benedict ordered some of Milligan's sentries to search Ledroptha Curtain's office because he got a "certain feeling that it must be searched"?"

The three teenagers nodded.

Constance sucked in air, about to launch an eventful story. "Mr. Benedict expected to find the Whisperer's blueprint in the office. And as we all know from experience, he is almost never wrong. So he really was surprised when the sentries reported that nothing of worth was found. Then he managed to hack into the cameras the building where Curtain's office is found. So that's what he's been doing. Watching any suspicious activity. And finally, he found one two days ago (that's why he called for Rhonda and Number Two). The sentries were half a year too late. There was a videotape of a man sneaking a rolled up piece of paper inside his jacket. And because of the hi-tech equipment inside this house, Mr. Benedict managed to identify the man as someone named Marcus Ericson. He was reported missing from his family eight years ago. No one knew what happened to him after that. What they're trying to find out is if this man is acting on his own will or if he's working for Ledroptha Curtain"

She studied the faces of her friends. "Now you understand why I had to call for a meeting."

For a moment, none of them spoke. None of them even moved a muscle, all stuck in the realization that they have to stop this man from causing damage before it's too late, thus, having to risk their lives (not to mention their families' lives) again. Though they knew that they could not choose to help if they want, but all of them have the same desire. To put a stop to this nightmare and have normal lives.

Finally, Reynie broke the silence with a sigh. "We have to talk to Mr. Benedict."

They all stood up reluctantly, the weight of they have to do in the future sagging their shoulders.

_Good thing it's summer_. Reynie thought. Imagine how hard it would be if they had school.

"I agree." Constance mumbled.

"Enter." A voice called from inside Mr. Benedict's study. The teenagers opened the door and entered, yet refused to sit down.

Mr. Benedict looked up from his glasses. One look at Constance and his suspicions were confirmed. His expression softened. "Ahh." He said sadly. "Please, sit. I know by the thoughts that Constance is putting through my head that you already know the cause of my distress. I would've called for you sooner or later anyway."

The members of the Society took their seats, their expression businesslike.

"Could you give as more information about this man, Marcus Ericson, Mr. Benedict?" Kate asked.

Mr. Benedict sighed. "I'm afraid not my dear, for if I had known more, surely Constance would've told you. But no worries, this time I will keep you updated if I've discovered anything."

"Mr. Benedict, do you think Marcus Ericson works for Mr. Curtain?" Reynie asked as he stood up and sat on the couch's arm. It was a tight fit, and he can't move without bumping the person next to him who, much to his discomfort, was Kate. Everytime he shifted, he would either accidentally brush her hand or bump her knees. This had not gone unnoticed by Mr. Benedict and when he answered Reynie's question, there was a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm afraid not, Reynie…"

"But he couldn't possible just know about the Whisperer without being connected with Ledroptha Curtain, could he?"

"I know, Reynie. But there was a sneaky glint in his eyes while he took the blueprint. And he was looking behind him, as if to watch out for security…This wouldn't happen if only I'd conducted the search just after Ledroptha was arreseted."

"Oh don't blame yourself." Constance said. "None of us knew that Mr. Curtain actually had kept his blueprint."

"I suppose you're right. But it was just so obvious –"

"You're blaming yourself again." Constance interrupted.

Mr. Benedict wave his hand in a shooing motion and said, "Sorry for that. But too much has happened today. I know this is sudden, but to ensure your safety, I must ask you to relocate in this house again until all this madness is over."

A huge part of Reynie was wishing that he would be rooming with Sticky again, yet he never wished for that the circumstances would be this way. That they would only be roommates because it is possible that their lives were in danger. He felt thrilled, nonetheless. Though his happiness was short-lived when he realized that he would be living with Kate under the same roof again.

They were ordered to go home (in Reynie and Sticky's case) and explain why they have to go back and live in the house that once became their refuge. They assured them that Mr. Benedict himself will explain everything once they arrived.

A few hours later, Reynie found himself gazing up the ceiling from his bed, tired from moving all his stuff from his place to their house. Mr. Benedict's right. So much has happened today. He closed his eyes and drifted into sleep, the horror of today's events influencing his dreams.

***A/N: I know this is not much, but I promise you, the next chapter will be BETTER. ***


	3. Nightmares

**Chapter 3 ****–**** Nightmares**

***A/N: So bribery does work *grins evilly*. But don't worry! I won't use that on you in this chap. Though I'm sorry to tell you that I don't know when I'll update next . **

**Anyway, here's an extra special chapter to show you how much thankful I am for your reviews. ENJOY and don't forget to show your love by reviewing!***

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_He was fighting... fighting the chloroform that threatened to drug him into sleep. But the huge amount of the chemical placed in the handkerchief was so strong that he didn't stand a chance. He was unconscious before he knew it. It was funny how earlier, the four of them had just been laughing in the yard under Milligan and Amma's watchful eyes. All the other adults were gone, having fun (including Mr. Benedict), and believed it was safe to leave the children with only two guardians. It was just a month since Ledroptha Curtain was put into jail and none of them ever thought that there would be trouble. If only they knew how fatally wrong they were…_

_Even strong Milligan didn't stand a chance against the offensive chemical, and Reynie silently thanked fate for leaving Sticky out of this. He could hope that after Sticky got out of the bathroom, he would notice the evidences of struggle and call for help._

_The next thing Reynie saw once he was awake was a man sneering down at him. He averted his eyes and instead focused on where they were. He was forced to accept that he didn't know where they were. The room was cold and damp with cement walls. And a stench he could only figure as blood was overwhelming his senses__._

_His eyes then scanned the room for his friends, Amma, and Milligan, and found them bound to other chairs like him, awake. But they were too far to talk to and a strip of tape was currently covering their mouths. _

_Reynie noted their condition. Kate looked battered and beaten up. Looks like she put up quite a fight. If Kate looked bad, then there were no words to describe how terrible Milligan looked. Bleeding lips, swollen eye, bloody nose, cuts all over his face. And that was merely a vague description. His eyes were now focused on their captors._

"_Get out. I'll deal with them alone." the man who Reynie assumed was their leader, said._

_The other men followed their boss's orders and exited the room. The man each gave them a calculating looked but his expression turned sour once he faced Milligan. _

"_You gave us a really hard time there." he told him. "I'm afraid your feistiness is too much for my taste." Then he kicked Milligan in the stomach_

_Milligan grunted then glared at the man with so much ferocity once he recovered. Kate gave a helpless cry – much like the one wounded animals give. Constance was openly crying. Amma was still in a state of shock, her eyes as wide as saucers._

_Where are you, Sticky? Reynie thought. How long has it been since they were taken as captives? Reynie comforted himself with the thought that Sticky would be arriving with backup soon. But the man was thinking along the same lines as Reynie and said, "We failed to capture your other friend. And I believe by now, he must've contacted your precious Mr. Benedict and alerted the authorities. And so we need to rush."_

_He smiled evilly then headed to Reynie's direction. Reynie gulped the bile that rose in his throat and tried to steady his heartbeat to no avail. It was pounding on his chest louder than ever now that the man was behind him. But much to his surprise, instead of hurting him, the man loosened the ropes binding him. Then, with a forceful yank on the arm, he made Reynie stand up._

_Reynie shook the ropes out of his hands and feet. Then once he could stand properly, the man dragged him to the middle of the room._

"_Time to get some business finished." he said while pulling out a sleek black thing everyone recognized – much to their utter terror – as a gun._

_Reynie's palms started to sweat as he realized what the man planned to do. He mumbled a silent prayer that he would be the only one who will die. That somehow, Sticky would arrive before anyone else was hurt. He closed his eyes, waiting for death to come._

_But it didn't._

_Inch by inch, Reynie opened his eyes and saw the man unbinding Milligan. Then he shoved him in front of Reynie._

_Reynie was confused – what did this man plan to do?_

_That was when he felt the gun's cold muzzle at the back of his head. He whimpered and choked back the tears that were trying to escape. It was muffled since the tape on their mouths was not removed. He won't give the man – whoever he is – the satisfaction of seeing him cry. This was it he's going to – _

_But the man was full of surprises._

_He pulled out another gun, cocked it, and then handed it to Reynie's trembling fingers._

"_I'll give you to the count of ten to shoot this man in front of you. And if you don't, well let's just say that I haven't used a gun in a while and my fingers are getting really itchy."_

_Without hesitation, Reynie threw the gun away. And faced the man, giving him the most defiant look he could muster._

_Then kill me. He was saying with his eyes. He'd rather die than take someone's life and ruin others in the process._

"_I guess you need a little more motivation." he said, then shouted names of – no doubt about it – his thugs._

_Three men came inside the room and their leader asked them to unbind the other captives. Then he whispered something in their ears._

_The three thugs, each of them gripping a captive by the arm, formed a triangular position around Reynie. Kate and Constance were slightly behind him, and Amma was beside Milligan. Then the thugs pulled out their guns and pressed the gun's muzzle on the back of their victim's head. It was Kate alone who didn't whimper._

_Reynie was paralyzed as he realized that this was how the leader will motivate him. By threatening her friends and mother's life. And he hated to admit that it was working. Effectively, if he may add, for he had just raised the gun._

_The leader of their captors smiled evilly again. "That's more like it." He told Reynie. "I'll give you ten seconds… or I will blow up one of your friend's brain each second that you delay._

_Tears were running through Reynie's face, but he didn't care. The man had him. He can't imagine life without his kindhearted foster mother neither can he be happy again if Constance and Kate died because of him._

_But then he had no more time to choose. The man had just begun counting. The thought of shooting the man behind him passed through his head. But it disappeared as quickly as it came for he was suddenly reminded of the cold feeling of metal behind his head. He'll be dead before he could aim at the man._

_Reynie tilted his had a little so that he could look at Kate. After all, it was she who could pull up some miraculous stunt to at least distract the men, long enough for Milligan to beat them all bloody._

_Sticky where are you? Reynie cried inside his head._

"… _2 and 1." The man said._

_Reynie trembled. What now? Should he shoot? Or should he let someone die?_

"_Still not convinced, are you?" the man said cruelly at Reynie then made a gesture at Amma's captor._

_It was then clear what Reynie had to do._

_Before the man holding Amma could pull the trigger, he directed his gun at Milligan, and with overwhelming guilt and dread, he pulled the trigger._

_Kate screamed. Amma fell to the floor, the shock too much for her to take. Constance just stared at them, words failing her for the very first time._

_What have you done? Reynie told himself._

_Then the leader cackled triumphantly and dropped Reynie. He exited the room, ordering his thugs to follow him._

_And with that, they were gone, with no explanation whatsoever as to why they did this._

_Reynie was sobbing uncontrollably, shut to the world and to what was happening around him. So he was beyond startled when the door behind him burst open without any warning. And he prepared himself for another nightmarish torture._

_But it wasn't that evil man or his thugs._

_It was their rescue team._

_And he was being lifted up, comforted by people._

_In the background, he could hear someone say, "I can still feel a pulse. He's still alive."_

_This small reassurance comforted Reynie more than the pats and sympathetic words of the people around him._

"_I'm sorry." He muttered as Kate dashed past him, weeping into a handkerchief._

_He expected her to say that it wasn't his fault, that he had to do that. But Kate only gave a stiff nod then moved past him._

Reynard Muldoon's eyes snapped open. His heart was still beating fast until he realized that he was in his room. But he can't go to sleep since the face of the leader of the man kept flashing over his eyelids. Then he frowned. Now where had he seen that man before? He clutched his head in his hands, willing his brain to recall… he was sure he had seen that horrid face somewhere….

For some weird reason, the picture of the man that stole The Whisperer's blueprint flashed in his head.

Then, with a sinking feeling that made his blood run cold, he put two and two together….

He realized that the man who destroyed the Mysterious Benedict Society's friendship by kidnapping them… was none other than Marcus Ericson, the same man who stole the Whisperer's blueprint.

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***A/N: Buwahaha! Bet you didn't see that one coming And in case you weren't catching on, then YES my dears, this is the incident Reynie was talking about. Reviews would be VERY appreciated ***


	4. Stranger in the House

**Chapter 4 - Stranger in the House**

***A/N: It's been two week … Sorry for the REALLY late update. I've just recovered from Writer's block and I'm sure you all know the feeling… Anyway, Hope You Enjoy! And BTW, thanks for all the reviews. They've helped me overcome my WB.**

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"We need to talk." Reynie whispered to Sticky the second he swallowed his last bite of food the next morning at breakfast.

Sticky heard the urgency in his tone and nodded. They stood up and placed their plates in the sink which Constance was eyeing with the utmost distaste.

_Meeting in your room._ Sticky kept saying in his head. He took the tiny bob of Constance's head as an indication that she got the message.

Reynie and Sticky went up the girls' room and sat there quietly, waiting for Kate and Constance to finish doing the dishes. They arrived in less than five minutes, with Constance still a little grumpy from finishing a chore.

The four members sat on the floor in a circle, waiting for someone to speak. Finally, Reynie took a deep breath and bluntly announced that Marcus Ericson was the man who kidnapped them four years ago.

There was a chorus of 'whats' and three pairs of widened eyes stared at him unblinkingly.

"Kate… Constance? Is this true?" Sticky asked.

"I'm not so sure… Ive buried that incident in my head since it happened and now that you brought it back…" Constance answered before inhaling a huge gulp of air.

The other three members felt Kate tense. She had a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was visiting another world… Then her eyes focused back on them. "Reynie's right…" she mumured.

"Mr. Benedict has to know this. It's fatal to his research."

The members of the Society needed no more words. In a flash, they were on their feet, barging down the stairs to Mr. Benedict's study.

But then they found a cause to delay their immediate rush. And that cause was merrily chatting with Rhonda in the living room.

"Oh, hey Kate! Justin's here. He said you invited him over." said Rhonda when she noticed their presence.

"Thank you, Rhonda." replied Kate then returned a smile at the stranger.

Sticky and Reynie looked at each other in bafflement. Constance's smug smile wasn't helping at all. In fact, it was making their confusion worse.

"Who's he?" asked Reynie.

The stranger who Rhonda referred to as Justin looked at them, confused as well.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Kate exclaimed. "You must be very puzzled. Justin, these are my – er, they're my friends – " Reynie noticed her frown at the word used to introduce them. "This one's Sticky Washington…. And this one's Reynie Muldoon. And of course, you already know Constance."

Sticky managed to give a faint smile while Reynie nodded curtly.

"Boys," she continued, "This is Justin Henley, my boyfriend."

It was all Reynie could do to keep himself from gawking like an idiot. Sticky was not doing so well in handling the news. He was choking on his own saliva, trying to control his barely contained laughter. "You have a – Your – he's your – boyf – "

Kate shot him an icy glare which was made more menacing by the blue color of her eyes. Sticky shut up immediately.

Reynie made a quick observation of Justin. He knew that they had just met, but Reynie can't help but dislike Justin. He had an aura of arrogance, and Reynie could see it just by the way he held his head. The fact that he was Kate's boyfriend wasn't exactly making Reynie like him either. But Justin sure has good looks. Raven black hair, eyes the color of emeralds, it was no doubt he became Kate's boyfriend.

An odd feeling coursed through Reynie as Kate linked an arm with Justin. It was a feeling he'd never felt before. Somehow, it heightened his dislike.

"Should we go?" Kate asked to no one in particular.

"Um…. Where?" was Constance's brilliant reply.

"Come on, people, you know what I'm talking about." said Kate.

"Um… Kate? You're not _serious_, are you?" Sticky interjected.

"Of course I'm perfectly serious!" she replied.

Sticky, Reynie, and Constance gave each other knowing looks, which did not go amiss under Kate's keen eye. But before she could react Constance pulled her hand and dragged her to the kitchen. Reynie followed them and Sticky stayed for a while to assure Justin that they just needed a word with Kate.

Constance rounded on Kate the moment Sticky closed the door. "Okay… first of all," she said in an eerily calm voice. "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?" she suddenly yelled.

"What do you mean? What is wrong with you people?" Kate countered.

"_Us? _You think there's something wrong with us?"

"What did _I _do?"

"Well you ONLY planned to let your boyfriend go with us in Mr. Benedict's study to talk about CLASSIFIED information about Marcus Ericson and the Whisperer. That's just what you did. NO BIG DEAL."

"I don't see the problem with that."

Constance opened her mouth again but she closed it when Reynie spoke.

"The problem is that, we're not sure if he could be trusted! He may be a spy for Marcus Ericson or Mr. Curtain for all we know."

Kate turned to Reynie, suddenly angrier than she was seconds ago. "Is that so?" she said in a sing-song voice. "Well, can Martina Crowe be trusted when we're all SURE that she's a spy for Mr. Curtain?"

Reynie's cheeks flushed in fury. "That's none of your business. And besides, she was nothing more than a fling."

"Then why did I see you two getting all cozy in the Stonetown main library?"

Sticky's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "And i'm only hearing this now because…?" he said while eyeing Reynie.

Constance cleared her throat loud enough for everyone's attention to focus on her. "Let's get back to the topic. Kate, that is final. I don't want him to come with us." Then she crossed her arms on her chest and huffed.

Sticky sighed. "I'm sorry Kate. Justin may be a good guy, but I'm with Reynie and Constance. We can't risk trusting him."

"Fine." Kate said dejectedly. "You go ahead. I'll follow you soon." With that, she exited the kitchen, while the rest of the members proceeded to Mr. Benedict's study.

"I'm sorry about that…" Kate mumbled then gave Justin an apologetic smile. "They've been my friends since late childhood… and it's kind of our reunion today and they don't want anyone else to come…"

"I understand."

"Don't worry. I'll make it up to you. Let's go to the fine diner we went to three weeks ago. Good plan?"

Justin smiled. "Yes."

"Sorry I'm late!" Kate said cheerfully as she banged the door open. Then she sat on the floor, seeing that there's no more space in the couch.

"Now what is it that you wanted to tell me?" Mr. Benedict asked them.

"Er…" Reynie hesitated. "Marcus Ericson is the man who kidnapped us four years ago." He finally said with a sigh then dropped his gaze to the ground. Slowly he lifted his eyes to watch Mr. Benedict do a double take. Reynie actually half expected him to fall into sleep again because of the news. But Mr. Benedict didn't, much to everyone's relief.

It was then that Number Two chose to enter the room. Her eyebrows shot up once she looked at Mr. Benedict, silently asking for confirmation if what she'd heard was true.

Mr. Benedict nodded in return, a sad look in his face.

Number Two dropped the apple she was munching on a while ago then rushed out to call Rhonda.

Rhonda Kazembe went into her busy mode as she reached the study. The dumbfounded teens watched the adults work with all their might. They can't help feeling annoyed. They were the ones who told the important piece of information for crying out loud! They deserve to know what the adults are talking about! Number Two noticed them watching and shooed them with a wave of her hand. Constance's hands curled into fists. Her expression darkened and her eyes narrowed into slits. This time no one blamed her or even thought of stopping her as she marched to Mr. Benedict's table and pounded her fist on it.

"We want to know- " she hissed.

"Constance." Mr. Benedict said with a stern edge. "We will tell you when the time is right. For now, do something to amuse yourself. That applies to you as well, Kate, Reynie, and Sticky."

A collective groan was heard from the group and they reluctantly exited the room, Constance still stomping her foot and murmuring under her breath like a child.

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***A/N: So what do you think about Justin? Please Review ***


	5. The Locket

**Chapter 5 – The Locket**

***A/N: *sighs* I'm disappointed that the last chapter didn't get any reviews. Not even one. For this chapter I'm only asking for 3 reviews. ONLY 3. If you can do better than 5… then I'll update as soon as I can. Now, Proceed…***

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While in the midst of a crisis, Constance Contraire never thought that she would have a moment of normality in her life. Yet she found herself in her room, watching her slightly frantic roommate prepare for a date with her boyfriend.

"Do I look okay?" Kate asked warily then faced Constance who gave her a thumbs-up in approval. In fact, Kate looked more than okay. She was dazzling.

Just then, Sticky poked his head inside the room, announcing that Kate got a call from Justin saying that he'll be here in 15 minutes.

Kate nodded at him as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"So… You're coming home right?" Constance asked, her lips twitching in a teasing smile.

Kate shot her an icy glare. "Of course. What do you think? Wait. Don't answer that." she added quickly after Constance opened her mouth to respond.

The door opened while she was strapping on her black four-inched heeled shoes. She almost stumbled as she saw who was leaning on the doorframe.

Reynie examined Kate from head to toe. The tips of her elbow length golden-blonde hair were curled into ringlets which cascaded down her back. She was wearing a simple forest green dress that stopped a little above her knees. It was completely different from her usual boyish attires. And even though she only applied blush-on and lipgloss, she still looked stunningly beautiful. For a moment, Reynie forgot what to say. His eyes blinked back into focus after taking in her appearance. "You look stunning." he said rather shyly.

That simple compliment made Kate blush like she never did on even Justin's compliments which involved heavy and poetic words. "Glad you approve." she replied after clearing her throat.

Kate silently thanked Constance as she clapped a hand to her forehead, effectively breaking the tension-filled barrier that rose between her and Reynie.

"God. I forgot to do the dishes. Pencilia is going to kill me." Constance said convincingly. She opened the door then paused as if she just remembered something. "By the way, Sticky, your mother's looking for you. Said she needed your help with the budget."

"Really?" Sticky asked sounding confused.

Constance looked at him expectantly before saying, "Yes! She told you remember?"

"Oh!" he exclaimed, his sudden confusion gone. "Have fun, Kate."

And with that, Reynie and Kate were left alone.

Reynie found this exchange extremely odd. Sticky had an excellent memory. He can't possibly forget – Unless…. A thought occurred to him but he shrugged it away.

* * *

Constance smiled privately once she and Sticky were safely outside. Sticky blinked a few times before his eyes widened. He rounded on Constance. "Mom never asked for my help!" he said accusingly.

She merely smirked at the stunned Sticky. "Wait. You mean – you – you – " he stammered while pointing a finger at her.

Constance rolled her eyes, the smirk never leaving her smug face. "Yes George Washington. I just interfered with your memory."

"But your head…. Doesn't it hurt?"

"Not anymore… I've practiced."

"But why did you – "

"Use your common sense!" she scowled. "For someone so smart, you could be so narrow-minded. Obviously, those two needed some alone time. And thanks to ME, they both have it!"

* * *

"Damn these heels." Kate said under her breath. She felt awkward and uncomfortable in Reynie's presence. He was still leaning on the doorframe, watching Kate's every move.

Kate rushed to the mirror then after some examination of herself, decided to apply some eyeshadow. She pulled out a small container of glittery silver eyeshadow and was about to apply some when a voice stopped her. "Don't. Leave it. It looks better that way."

Heat rushed to her cheeks. What the hell was wrong with her? She never blushed this much! She thanked Reynie then gave him a small smile.

Kate, in an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence that formed, began blabbing. "Honestly, whose idea was it that you need to beautify yourself on a date? It doesn't matter how you look as long as your with that special someone, right?"

Reynie shrugged. "It doesn't matter what you wear. You still look beautiful to me."

Her nervous laugh was followed by another mind-blowing silence.

"Do you love him?" Reynie asked quietly, his eyes never leaving Kate.

"I don't see how that concerns you." she snapped.

"That's not an answer."

"Why did you have to ask?"

"Why don't you answer?" he countered.

"I – I – "

The honking of a car interrupted her and she was very much grateful for it.

"JUSTIN'S HERE!" Constance yelled from downstairs.

"I have to go." Kate said quietly, now very anxious to get out of the room.

She grabbed her bag from her bed and dashed to the door but in her haste, she bumped into Reynie instead. The thin silver thing she was holding slipped from her hands. A hand brushed hers when she bent down to pick it. She looked up and met a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes staring back at her sapphire blue ones. They both stood up, Kate refusing to look anywhere besides the floor. When she finally looked up, she saw that Reynie was examining the silver thing that turned out to be a heart-shaped locket. He opened it and his face as well as his friends' face appeared. It was a picture of them taken five years ago, a few days after Constance's ninth birthday. The locket was Reynie's Christmas gift to Kate. He borrowed her copy of the picture and placed it in the locket that he bought. The words 'Mysterious Benedict Society' were engraved in curlicue writing on the opposite side of the picture. He gave Constance the same thing too, except her locket was gold.

He focused on the picture. They all looked very happy, their expressions the complete opposite of what they were all feeling today. Reynie felt a huge wave of something near homesickness hit him. He touched the picture, a thousand memories flooding his head. "You kept it." He said quietly.

"I just couldn't find it in me to destroy it… Constance only removes her locket when she takes a bath. There was this one time, she couldn't find it and threw a huge tantrum. Rhonda was exhausted at the end of day. She almost passed out when Constance said she found it. She was wearing it the whole time, after all."

Affection. That was what Reynie felt as he heard this. He never knew that Constance had it in her. Never knew that she could be so… sentimental. He nodded, gulping back the lump that rose in his throat. He went behind Kate and positioned the pendant on her neck before clasping the chain on. Her breath caught in her throat, feeling the heat from their proximity.

Reynie faced her and said, "You better go. Justin's waiting. Then he tucked a stray tuft of Kate's hair behind her ear.

She felt that her voice was taken away from her. She couldn't utter a single word and was having trouble at making her heartbeat slow down. She merely nodded at Reynie and exited the room as fast as she can, relief coursing through her once she was out.

Reynie stood in the middle of Kate's room, still as a stone. He was replaying the events for the past 15 minutes in his head.

_She kept it. She kept the locket._ This fact alone gave him hope that maybe there was still a chance that he could fix their friendship which was shattered by loss, hatred, and anger. Just maybe… If he tried hard enough. And he was going to try, no matter what it takes.

* * *

***A/N: WEEEH! Very emotional chapter for Kate and Reynie! Their characters are probably a bit OOC, but that's the purpose of fanfiction right? Haha! Anyway, don't forget to review! **


	6. Forgiven

_**Chapter 6 Forgiven**_

***A/N: Here's another chapter! I was planning to update sooner but we went swimming and i got sick. Before you proceed, i must tell you that my school starts at June 4 (i'm a sophomore. YEY!) and updates may not be that frequent. BTW, thanks for all the reviews***

* * *

"By the way, did I tell you that you look positively stunning tonight?" Justin said after wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Kate let a smile creep on her lips. "What can I say? I had lots of... critics."

For a few minutes, only the clatter of utensils against plates can be heard in their table. The food was too delicious to be kept waiting. But Justin knew that conversation was needed in a date. "So how did your get-together go?" he asked.

"It could've been a lot worse. We were all glad to see each other." Kate half-lied. In no way was she glad to see them. It brought back memories, very awful memories that she kept pushing back her head until this day.

"Ecstatic, even." Justin said in a dark tone that made his girlfriend arch an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem if I was indeed ecstatic about meeting them?"

"Yes. I mean, no."

"Then what's bothering you?"

_Great. Just great._ Justin thought. _I should've kept my mouth shut. _Now he'll have to answer. And everyone in the restaurant will blame him for starting World War 3. With a defeated sigh, he said. "It's your friend ... Reynie?" He crossed his fingers under the table, silently hoping that this wouldn't cause a row.

"What about him?"

Justin averted his eyes from Kate and stammered. She was studying him intently, wondering why he was acting this way. She gave out a hearty laugh when she realized the reason. _Jealousy. He's jealous of Reynie._

"What's so funny?" asked Justin, finally looking back at her.

"You're jealous aren't you?"

His cheeks burned from embarrassment. "You could say that." he murmured.

"Listen. You have no reason to be jealous. He's just my friend. Less than that, even."

Justin frowned. "Less than a friend? You mean he's your enemy?" he asked. No wonder Kate was a bit reluctant to introduce him.

She shrugged. "I don't know another term that could describe our relationship … so yes, we are enemies. Why are you even jealous of him in the first place?"

"Well… he's got the looks." he said, waiting for some sign that Kate may suddenly burst. "And I can practically feel the tension in the air…"

"That tension is caused from us being so civilized. It's hard for him as well to pretend to not hate me."

He didn't know why, but he wasn't contented with Kate's answer there was a certain feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was nagging at him. But he forced himself to enjoy the night. It wouldn't do both of them good if he let this affect him. Besides, it's just a feeling.

* * *

Silence was what Kate expected when she got home, but instead, she was welcomed home by the loud laughter of Constance, Reynie, and Sticky. Her feet were bathed in the light coming from the living room. She went inside and saw her friends huddled in a sofa, laughing their heads off at some TV show. She looked at the TV, wondering what could make them laugh like five year olds, and wished she didn't.

The members of the Society never really liked to listen to the radio or watch TV. But there is this one show that they all loved. The show that made them laugh no matter what. And that show was the one on screen right now.

_Mr. Bean_.

So many emotions crept up on her. So many memories that she forced to forget resurfaced. She could no longer deny the feeling that was squeezing her chest. _Longing. _She missed the times they would laugh together, missed the petty arguments they had. As much as she would hate to admit, she missed them. She missed their carefree friendship.

She watched them laugh like they didn't care about anything. She remembered how she laughed like that with them years ago. She tried in vain to suppress a laugh that bubbled from her chest.

The squeals and guffaws stopped and three heads swiveled to her direction.

"Sorry…. We didn't notice." Sticky muttered.

Kate gave him a smile. "That's okay."

Silence.

Constance yawned. "I should probably go. Show's over, anyway." she said just as the credits started to roll. "Night, everyone." She went up the stairs, her footfalls the only thing that can be heard in the house.

Sticky grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. He patted Reynie on the back and said. "See you, Reynie."

And for the second time that day, Reynie and Kate were left alone in a room.

Kate kicked off her shoes, held them by the straps, and was about to go up the stairs when a throat-clearing stopped her. She turned around and faced Reynie who was looking very nervous.

"Well stop fidgeting, you're not Sticky." she said loudly.

Reynie took a deep breath. _Get a grip. It's now or never._ "Kate. I need to tell you something."

Kate crossed her arms on her chest. "Go on! I'm exhausted and I haven't got all night."

"Promise me first that you'll listen to what I say."

"Promise." she said with a roll of her eyes.

"_I'm sorry."_

Her heart stopped. Of all the things that would come out of Reynie's mouth, that was the last thing she prepared herself for.

"What for?" she asked harshly.

"You know what for. And I've realized that if we're going to get through this madness, we're going to have to work together. Fighting won't help us."

She narrowed her eyes at him and spoke the words she'd been dying to say. "Why did you do it?" She knew that he knew what she meant. No more words were needed.

"Because I can't lose Amma! Neither can I lose Constance! Especially you! _I can't lose you, okay?"_ his throat constricted painfully. "I just can't." The first tear fell. "If you think it was easy for me to just shoot him… put yourself in my position. What would've you done?" He wiped his tears angrily.

Kate looked away, fearing that Reynie would see through her and see her weakness. See that she was letting her guard down. She hardened her heart, trying to regain the bitterness that she once felt. She can't give in. But it was lost. Seeing Reynie this way unhinged her, made her feel that she was the bad person between the two of them. _But you are, _a voice inside her head said.

"If- if you won't accept my apology-I better go." he dashed past her and climbed up the stairs dejectedly. _Maybe there was no hope after all. Maybe she only kept-_

"REYNARD MULDOON!"

Reynie looked over her shoulder and saw Kate, her hands balled into fists, unshed tears glazing her eyes. Before he could open his mouth, her arms were wrapped around his neck.

Kate was sobbing. It was no use trying to hide this from Reynie. Because she couldn't forgive him when it was her who needed forgiveness. It was her who handled the whole situation like a child, her who became unreasonable. "I'm sorry." she gasped between the sobs. "None of this was your fault. I was being immature, unreasonable"

"He's your father… "

"That's not enough excuse for how I treated you. I'm so sorry." She hoped he could hear the sincerity in her voice.

He hushed her and patted her hair. "I forgive you."

Reynie was such a good person that it made Kate sob harder. They stayed in that embrace for a few minutes, their arms wrapped around each other tightly, desperately, wanting each other to know how they missed the other.

That night, Kate looked up at the ceiling talking to herself. "He forgave me, Milligan. And I forgave him. That's what you wanted right?" With that she slept, a smile still lingering on her face.

* * *

***A/N: That thing about Mr. Bean? Yeah... Haha! It just came to my mind and i had to write it! Anyway, please review***


	7. Weird Day

**Chapter 7 – Weird Day**

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***A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'm really sorry for the looooooooooooooongggggggg wait! Studying in our school is NO joke. I'm only a sophomore and they treat us like college students! ARGH! **

**Thank you so MUCH for all the reviews! **

**pielover123: Nope :) Milligan isn't dead. Promise. Just wait and see :)**

**Enough of my blabbing. Here's the 7th chapter!**

* * *

" Goooood Morning!" Kate greeted with a cheeky smile at Reynie and plopped down to the chair beside him.

Constance arched an eyebrow at them. This was going to be an interesting day...

Sticky frowned at the oddity of it all. Kate and Reynie had been treating each other with hostility ever since they arrived. And the fact that Kate was the last to wake up told him that this day was about to get stranger...

Constance didn't need to use her abilities to tell the reason behind the scene that unfolded before her. She could safely conclude that something happened last night. But what that something was, she didn't know.

She knew that she promised to stop peeking into people's thoughts and memories, for they were gained by trust and not taken by force. But she was beyond intrigued, and a little voice inside her was saying that she wouldn't lose anything and gain something in return. Besides, she had a gut feeling that Reynie and Kate have absolutely no intention of telling them what happened. The saying "Curiosity killed the cat" didn't apply to her, at least not anymore. The pain that she experienced every time she meddled with people's heads had gone. She focused her eyes on Kate... Just a little peek...

And in 5 seconds, she knew what happened. It was as if she was part of the memory itself. It was crystal clear, every word they said echoing in her brain. A triumphant grin tugged at her lips. Her eyes twinkled with something that suggested she knew something you didn't.

Sticky, meanwhile remained oblivious. He intended to ask Reynie later. He was curious as to why they would smile at random times. He turned to Constance. Great. Now even SHE was smiling. And if there's one thing Sticky Washington hated, it was being left alone in the dark. Literally and figuratively speaking.

As soon as he and Reynie were left alone to do the dishes, Sticky started to talk, trying to appear nonchalant even though he wanted to do nothing right now but polish his glasses, which, of course was impossible since his contact lens had replaced his trusty spectacles a long time ago. "So..." he said. This was the part he'd been dreading. "You and Kate..." he left the sentence suspended in the air.

"What about us?" Reynie replied, feeling uncomfortable already.

"What's up with two of you? Anything I missed?"

Reynie sighed. "I'm surprised Constance didn't tell you."

"I have to hear this from you."

"We sort of ... called a truce last night."

"A truce?" Sticky asked, thinking about how friendly they were with each other at breakfast. There was no way that could be just a truce. "That's all?"

"Well... Yes, but in a greater level. You could say we made up. We're friends again." Reynie replied after a second of hesitation.

"Well, we all need good news during times of darkness." Sticky said with a smile.

A familiar snort followed his statement. The boys looked around and saw a girl with stick straight blonde hair and blue eyes, only a shade lighter than Kate's. Her arms were crossed across her chest. She scowled at Sticky. _What did I do now?_He asked himself.

Constance rolled her eyes. "You've liked, memorized the whole dictionary and you used good?"

It was very fortunate that Kate chose that time to enter the kitchen.

Amused looks.

Shy smiles.

Nerve - wrecking silence.

This is what an ordinary observer would notice. But if you look closely, you would see relief washing through Constance's features, the way Sticky's fingers would twitch because of happiness, Kate's slightly uncomfortable posture indicating her guilt, and the rapid rising and falling of Reynie's chest because of nervousness.

Kate opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. Constance noticed this and shot a mean look at her. "Finally knocked some sense into you, eh?"

"Don't talk to her like that." Reynie scolded.

"No, she's right... " Kate said softly, casting her eyes to the floor. "This is my fault. And i need a chance to make everything right again... If you'd let me."

After what she said, no one expected what Constance did next. But again, Constance Contraire tend to be unpredictable at times.

With quick movements that would've made Kate proud, Constance flung her hands around the three of them, tears of relief and joy muffling her voice. "I'm just so glad you two are back to normal! Took you long enough!"

And at that moment, while all of them were leaning their heads on each other, Reynie noticed something he never did before. He could just make out a sliver of metallic gold against Constance's pinkish - white complexion. He could see a curved lump that made dents in her shirt, and he could feel something warm on his chest again. Maybe it was the sense of victory. He'd done it. He didn't just fix the bonds of their friendship, he renewed it. Made it stronger.

Then Constance broke away from the hug, and just like that, all the tension was gone. "I can't believe I just did that." she said, frowning.

Sticky grinned. "Constance giving free hugs." he said then laughed. "Now that would be something worth remembering."

Constance laughed despite herself. They were all happy, but nothing good lasts for long.

Once Rhonda entered the room, the air around them became cooler. They didn't need Constance's special ability to know that Rhonda's presence meant something bad. The look on her face was enough indication that their assumptions were correct.

Rhonda looked at them for a few seconds, pondering on why they seemed so happy, and then sighed. "Mr. Benedict wants to see you." she said.

The happy moment was shattered just by her declaration. The smiles on their faces were replaced by grave looks.

* * *

"You wanted to see us, Mr. Benedict?" Reynie asked then closed the door behind him.

"Yes, my dears. Take a seat."

The children all sat on the floor, curious yet wary to hear whatever Mr. Benedict will say.

"I think you would be happy to hear that I, together with Rhonda and Number Two, have formulated a plan not only to retrieve the blueprint, but also to destroy whatever progress Marcus Ericson has made in recreating the Whisperer." he stopped for a moment, giving the children time to absorb this.

Four pairs of eyes widened.

"This plan consists of me creating a blueprint, quite typical to the one Marcus Ericson stole – "

"But how will you know if the one you'll make looks like the real blueprint?" Constance interrupted.

"Ledroptha and I have a common brain, Constance. Though I use mine for the benefit of everybody. As I was saying, once I create the fake blueprint that would sabotage Ericson's work, we swap it with the original one."

Constance opened her mouth but Mr. Benedict raised a hand to stop her from saying anything.

"Ericson's base is located just outside Stonetown, in an abandoned factory. How do I know this? As you all know, I'm quite friendly with Ms. Argent. I borrowed tapes of Stonetown's road activities for the past 6 months. And I saw a man running out of the building where Ledroptha's office was the same day the blueprint was stolen. He rode into a blue van and arrived in that abandoned factory."

"How long will it take you to create the blueprint, though?" Constance asked.

"A few weeks. Maybe a month or two."

The members of the Society looked at each other. A few more weeks of peace before hell broke loose. A month if they were lucky.

Reynie frowned. "But Mr. Benedict, I don't see where the four of us fit in."

Mr. Benedict gave them a very sad smile and Reynie knew that he shouldn't have asked. He had a feeling that he would not like the answer.

"You, my dears, are the ones who are going to swap the fake blueprint with the real one."

All the color was drained from Kate, Reynie, Sticky, and Constance's faces as the statement reached their ears.

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***A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger :( But it just came out like that ... *sighs* go ahead and murder me if you want.***


	8. Outburst

***A/N: SORRY for the LONGGGGGGGGG WAIT! I can't believe that it's been two months since I last updated. ARGH. **

**Phantom Reviewer: Oops. Sorry. I should've written "childish" instead of "snobbish" because Constance actually GLARED at Kate and that's still a sign of snobbishness. Thanks for pointing that out :)**

**ANYWAY, Enjoy and don't forget to REVIEW! :D***

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**Chapter 8 – Outburst**

The silence was such that you could hear a pin drop. The children's mind seemed to have gone from overdrive to a sluggish pace. If it wasn't for Rhonda clearing her throat, they might've stayed like that for the rest of the day.

"That's not … " Reynie said.

Even Kate was speechless. Back in the better days, she would've loved to kick the behinds of no-good people, but what happened to Milligan shook her up. She was still strong, but she was no longer eager for that kind of confrontation.

Constance took a deep breath. "You're not serious, are you?"

Mr. Benedict sighed sadly. "Unfortunately I am, Constance. Believe me, if there was any way – any way at all – for me to change this, I gladly would. "

"But why us? Why not Milligan's sentries? "

A sad expression wrinkled Mr. Benedict's face. "Before they searched Ledroptha's office, I promised them that that would be their final service. They could leave if they wanted to. Of course all of them wanted to, after what happened to their leader. Then yesterday, I asked Number Two to contact the sentries. They all hung up when they found out about the news.

Constance rolled her eyes. "Well that's cowardly of them." she scoffed.

"I agree Constance. And I don't blame them. But the fact is, we can't really force them, can we?"

"Mr – Mr. Benedict, how do you expect us to – to carry out that mi – mission?" Sticky asked, his voice wavering.

"Of course I have a plan in mind, dear Sticky." Mr. Benedict's eyes fell on Kate. She hadn't even spoken once. Before that "incident", she was usually the optimist. She was always the one who pointed out the bright side, always the first one to recover from shocking news such as this. Her cheerful remarks would always lighten up the other members of the Society. Without them, the others felt more anxious.

Constance, in attempt to break the sense of dread, said, "What's wrong with you Kate? Cat got your tongue?"

Kate's eyes flashed dangerously. Reynie gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't." he whispered lowly so that only Kate could hear. "You know how she is when she gets anxious." Kate relaxed.

This simple gesture did not go unnoticed.

"On a happier note …" Mr. Benedict said cheerfully which caused everyone in the room to turn their heads in his direction.

He smiled faintly at Kate and Reynie. "I'm glad you two finally got over your grudges toward each other."

"Finally." Rhonda said in an exasperated tone.

Number Two smiled faintly. "I think … this ought to be celebrated. Excuse me. I must tell Moocho to make dinner extra-extra special." She said then walked out.

Most of the people left in the room relaxed a little. They had little time to celebrate on a time like this and so they grab every little opportunity to be happy.

Unnoticed by them was a sullen Kate, her hands curled into fists, a single tear running down her face, and a silent Reynie, worriedly watching his friend.

* * *

Their laughter ringed in her ears. Her blood boiled at her anger which is getting more intense each time a sound of happiness would burst in the dining hall. It was too much for her, the glow that radiated off her companions. Like everything was in its proper place. Like this is just another ordinary dinner. But it's not. And they're aware of that. She balled her hands into fists without much thought. All she wanted to do right now was to release all the bitterness she felt inside. She wanted to destroy everything in her path and scream herself hoarse. _How can they be so cheerful?! How can they smile and laugh when we ourselves will be performing a suicide mission because my father got shot?!_

The tension in her chest uncoiled and won over her control. She stood up, slamming her fist on the table. The vibration caused her empty plate to clatter.

All eyes were on her now.

"For crying out loud, Constance, no one cares about that stupid poem or whatever nonsense it is that came from your mouth! NO ONE CARES!"

They were all at shock that even Constance didn't yell back. But even if she did, she won't have the time to do so, because Kate stomped out of the hall before they could fully register what just happened.

The bubble of happiness surrounding them popped.

"I'll go after her." Reynie said quietly then followed after Kate.

Reynie found her in the balcony of her room. He began to hear her sobs as he got closer to her.

Kate felt something touch her shoulder and she tensed, preparing herself for the worse. But when she looked slightly to her right, she found out that the hand belongs to Reynie. She was relieved - but her body did not relax. She did not like anyone seeing her like this. She didn't face him. She didn't want Reynie - of all people to see the proof of her weakness.

"What are you doing here?" Kate said in the steadiest voice she could muster.

"I was worried..." Reynie replied.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could just make out the crease on his forehead. "There's nothing that can comfort me right now, so you might as well leave. Your efforts will be wasted."

"Just talk to me. I need to know what's wrong."

Kate didn't reply.

"Please."

She finally sighed in dejection. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed him. She needed someone to steady her. She turned around to face him and the concerned look on his face was enough to unravel her.

A sob erupted from her chest and she held on to Reynie, gathering herself as she released everything she felt. Once she composed herself, she looked at Reynie.

"Kate... You can trust me, you know."

"I know. And I'm sorry."

Reynie urged her to continue.

"When I heard all of you laughing... I got mad... I just can't believe that you could be so happy when everything was so wrong. I felt like.. . You were insulting me, you know? You were all having fun while I was hurting. Hurting for Milligan. Hurting because he's the reason we're going to risk our lives."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt - "

"No, _I'm _sorry. It wasn't fair of me. I have no right to make people feel the way I want them to feel."

Reynie smiled at Kate and said, "If you need anyone... don't forget that I'm always here. WE'RE always here." With that he squeezed her hand and exited her room.

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***A/N: I think Kate was a bit OC in this chapter for being weak BUT remember, her father got shot before her very eyes. Happenings like that tend to change people don't they? TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!**

**I won't keep you waiting this time! The 9th chapter is almost finished! :D***


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